Welcome to the Blogging Friends Blog Hop, as we usher in 2017 with a new guest stamper, and new stamping products!

This month we have the talented Janet Wakeland joining us as our guest stamper! We’re very excited to have her with us, sharing her stamping style with some products from the upcoming Occasions catalogue and Sale-A-Bration brochure.

If you haven’t taken one of our blog hops before, it’s very easy to do! Each of us is a current Stampin’ Up! demonstrator; we’ve all ‘met’ each other virtually, through our blogging and posting online and in Stampin’ Up! demonstrator only sites. Some of us have been lucky enough to meet in person, too! Each of our blog posts is connected to the next one in line, so all you have to do is click on the ‘Continue’ button at the end of each post, and you’ll be taken to the next blog. (if the internet gremlins act up, some of us have a complete list of all the participating blogs, with links, so you can click through that way, as well).

This month’s blog hop, as you probably expect, is all about the fabulous new products you’ll be seeing – and buying! – in the upcoming Occasions catalogue and earning for FREE from the Sale-A-Bration brochure. There are so many amazing new products, stamp sets and bundles, if you’re like me, you’re going to want it all! Seriously – this is the biggest pre-order I’ve ever done, so if you’re a ‘need it all’ kinda person (you know, my kinda person!) you should seriously consider joining up and taking advantage of the fabulous Starter Kit and bonus offer – but, more on that in another post!

As I said, this was my biggest pre-order ever, so the hardest part for me in getting ready for this blog hop was deciding which of my new products to use! I just wanted to use and show ALL of them! 🙂

But I had to decide – so here’s my first project, using a Bundle that I fell instantly in love with at the demonstrator On Stage celebration last November – Dragonfly Dreams:

I just love dragonfly images; I find seeing them in person (we see a lot of them around the lake here) is amazing – the way the move so fast, and how the light reflects off their wings – nature is just amazing! So as soon as I saw this stamp set – and the fact that there is a coordinating Thinlits set too! – well, I was smitten! The stamp set is called Dragonfly Dreams, the coordinating thinlits are called Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits Dies, and you can purchase the Bundle (remember how I feel about Bundles – they’re the ONLY way to purchase!!) called Dragonfly Dreams Bundle, which includes both the stamp set and the thinlits dies, at a 10% savings.

For this card, I decided to use the one set of thinlits that does not have a coordinating stamp – it’s a series of 4 dragonflies joined together. I die cut them using the Big Shot and the Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits Dies, from Whisper White cardstock.

First, I removed the die cut dragonflies, and layered the negative piece over a panel of Fruit Stand Designer Series Paper. I love the pattern with the flowers & fruit, and the bright, fresh colours . After I glued that down, I inserted the die cut dragonflies into the negative. I used Glue Dots to attach just the bodies of the dragonflies, so that there wings could be curled upwards, as if they were flying & fluttering about. I then attached these 2 pieces to a panel of Tangerine Tango cardstock, and wound some Linen Thread around the middle twice.

I stamped the sentiment, from the new Love Sparkles stamp set, in Tangerine Tango ink onto Whisper White cardstock, and die cut it using the Big Shot and the Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies – Circles. I added a bow from Linen Thread, with an Enamel Shape from the Brights – Enamel Shapes collection, and attached it to the card front using a Stampin’ Dimensional. I added Wink of Stella – Clear, to the wings of the dragonflies, but just wasn’t able to capture that in the picture.

The whole card front was attached using Stampin’ Dimensionals to the Thick Whisper White card base. I think this is a bright, fun card for any type of celebration!

My next project uses another new favourite (yes, I’ll probably be saying that about every new set I share, for the next few months!) called Beautiful You.

For this project, I also used the new Watercolour Pencils! And yes – I just LOVE them! 🙂 Whether you use them just to colour, or blend the colours using Aqua Painters or Blender Pens, you will be amazed at how easy they are to use, and how effortlessly they blend. You’ll feel like the artist you’ve always wanted to be 🙂 The Watercolour Pencils work very well on our standard Whisper White cardstock, the Shimmery White cardstock, and of course Watercolour Paper.

I started with a panel of Shimmery White cardstock, and stamped the image in Archival Black ink. I coloured the dress using the Calypso Coral Watercolour Pencil, and blending it with a Blender Pen. The umbrella was coloured with the Daffodil Delight Watercolour Pencil, and also blended with a Blender Pen.

To create the background, I used the Pacific Point Watercolour Pencil, and shaded closely around the outside of the image. The I took my Blender Pen, and gently ‘pulled’ the colour away from the image, blending it towards the outside of the paper. I started out lightly, then added more colour where I wanted.

After the background had dried – it was pretty quick – I then stamped the sentiment in Archival Black ink, in the upper left-hand corner.

I attached the coloured panel to a panel of new designer series paper, calledFalling In Love. This pattern is a Soft Sky background, with what looks like Queen Anne’s Lace in Very Vanilla. You’re going to love this new DSP! Here’s a closer look:

I wrapped a length of the 1/8″ Ribbon in Gold along the side, then mounted the panels onto the card base of Daffodil Yellow cardstock.

I could continue on for ages, sharing new projects with you, but I think I’d better stop here, so that you can enjoy the rest of the projects made by the group! If you have time to leave a comment, I’d love to read what you think about my projects, as well as the new products.

Now, you’ll want to head over to Jodi Skrip Horsley – you’re going to love what she has created for you! Just click on the ‘Continue’ button below, and you’ll be taken directly to her blog post. (in case of technical gremlins, I’ve added the entire list of participants at the bottom of this post, so you can use those links as well).

Thanks for spending some time with me today – enjoy the rest of the Hop! And if you don’t already have a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator, and you’re in Canada, you can click on the images below to purchase any of the supplies I used to create these projects (Jan. 4th or after, for new products).

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I've always liked to create things, but I'm not a great artist, or sculptor, or any type of 'traditional' artist - but I love to stamp and create! I love the satisfaction of a completed project. Whether a 3D item, or a card, or scrapbook page - as long as it can create a smile, evoke a feeling, or some type of reaction in the recipient. I hope you will enjoy sharing my creations, and occasional ramblings; I'd enjoy having you stamp and create with me! :)